The majority of literature on mentoring focuses on mentee training needs, with significantly less guidance for the mentors. Moreover, many mentoring the mentor models assume generic (i.e. White) mentees with little attention to the concerns of underrepresented racial/ethnic minorities (UREM). This has led to calls for increased attention to diversity in research training programs, especially in the field of HIV where racial/ethnic disparities are striking. Diversity training tends to address the mentees’ cultural competency in conducting research with diverse populations, and often neglects the training needs of mentors in working with diverse mentees. In this article, we critique the framing of diversity as the problem (rather than the lack of mentor consciousness and skills), highlight the need to extend mentor training beyond aspirations of cultural competency toward cultural humility and cultural safety, and consider challenges to effective mentoring of UREM, both for White and UREM mentors.

This community-based research applied principles of wilderness experience programming and Indigenous knowledges in an exploratory intervention designed to address health disparities in a tribal community. Drawing on historical trauma frameworks, tribal members rewalked the Trail of Tears to consider its effect on contemporary tribal health. Qualitative data from tribal members suggest that engagement with place and experiential learning, particularly the physical and emotional challenge of the Trail, facilitated changes in health beliefs, attitudes, and behaviors. Deep engagement outside of traditional health service settings should be considered in interventions and may be particularly effective in promoting positive health behaviors in Native communities.

There has been much talk and effort focused on the educational achievement gap between white versus black, Hispanic and American Indian students. While there has been some movement the gap has not appreciably narrowed, and it has narrowed the least for Native American students. This volume addresses this disparity by melding evidence-based instruction with culturally sensitive materials and approaches, outlining how we as educators and scientists can pay the educational debt we owe our children.

American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) populations are disproportionately at risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD), diabetes, and obesity, compared with the general US population. This article describes the həli?dx(w)/Healthy Hearts Across Generations project, an AIAN-run, tribally based randomized controlled trial (January 2010-June 2012) designed to evaluate a culturally appropriate CVD risk prevention program for AI parents residing in the Pacific Northwest of the United States. At-risk AIAN adults (n = 135) were randomly assigned to either a CVD prevention intervention arm or a comparison arm focusing on increasing family cohesiveness, communication, and connectedness. Both year-long conditions included 1 month of motivational interviewing counseling followed by personal coach contacts and family life-skills classes. Blood chemistry, blood pressure, body mass index, food intake, and physical activity were measured at baseline and at 4- and 12-month follow-up times

@article{Evans-Campbell2012,
title = {Indian Boarding School, Substance Use, And Mental Health Among Two-Spirit urban American Indian/Alaska Natives},
author = {Evans-Campbell, T. and Walters K. and Pearson, C.R.},
url = {http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/22931076},
issn = {0095-2990},
year = {2012},
date = {2012-08-31},
journal = {The American journal of drug and alcohol abuse},
volume = {38},
number = {5},
pages = {421-7},
abstract = {BACKGROUND:
Systematic efforts of assimilation removed many Native children from their tribal communities and placed in non-Indian-run residential schools.
OBJECTIVES:
To explore substance use and mental health concerns among a community-based sample of 447 urban two-spirit American Indian/Alaska Native adults who had attended boarding school as children and/or who were raised by someone who attended boarding school.
METHOD:
Eighty-two respondents who had attended Indian boarding school as children were compared to respondents with no history of boarding school with respect to mental health and substance use.
RESULTS:
Former boarding school attendees reported higher rates of current illicit drug use and living with alcohol use disorder, and were significantly more likely to have attempted suicide and experienced suicidal thoughts in their lifetime compared to non-attendees. About 39% of the sample had been raised by someone who attended boarding school. People raised by boarding school attendees were significantly more likely to have a general anxiety disorder, experience posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms, and have suicidal thoughts in their lifetime compared to others.},
keywords = {Evans-Campbell, Pearson C. R., Walters K. L.},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}

BACKGROUND:
Systematic efforts of assimilation removed many Native children from their tribal communities and placed in non-Indian-run residential schools.
OBJECTIVES:
To explore substance use and mental health concerns among a community-based sample of 447 urban two-spirit American Indian/Alaska Native adults who had attended boarding school as children and/or who were raised by someone who attended boarding school.
METHOD:
Eighty-two respondents who had attended Indian boarding school as children were compared to respondents with no history of boarding school with respect to mental health and substance use.
RESULTS:
Former boarding school attendees reported higher rates of current illicit drug use and living with alcohol use disorder, and were significantly more likely to have attempted suicide and experienced suicidal thoughts in their lifetime compared to non-attendees. About 39% of the sample had been raised by someone who attended boarding school. People raised by boarding school attendees were significantly more likely to have a general anxiety disorder, experience posttraumatic stress disorder symptoms, and have suicidal thoughts in their lifetime compared to others.

BACKGROUND: American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) men who have sex with men (MSM) are at high risk of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) acquisition and transmission. PURPOSE: This study aimed to investigate a potential area of focus for HIV prevention interventions by assessing the impact of sexual risk cognitions on sexual risk-taking among AI/AN MSM. METHODS: AI/AN MSM (N = 173) from a national cross-sectional survey were analyzed. RESULTS: Reporting more frequent sexual risk cognitions overall (high sexual risk cognitions) was associated with multiple HIV risk factors including unprotected anal intercourse and serodiscordant unprotected anal intercourse. Participants with high sexual risk cognitions had a 2.3 (95% Confidence Interval: 1.1, 4.7) times greater odds of engaging in unprotected anal intercourse regardless of childhood sexual abuse, depression, and alcohol dependence. Most individual sexual risk cognitions were associated with unprotected anal intercourse, serodiscordant unprotected anal intercourse, or both. CONCLUSIONS: Results suggest that sexual risk cognitions may be a productive area for further work on HIV prevention among AI/AN MSM.

In a community-based sample of urban American Indian and Alaska Native adults, 25 lesbian, gay, bisexual, and two-spirit participants were compared with 154 heterosexual participants with respect to sociodemographic characteristics, Native, cultural participation, trauma, physical and mental health, and substance use. Compared with their heterosexual counterparts, two-spirit participants reported higher rates of childhood physical abuse and more historical trauma in their families, higher levels of psychological symptoms, and more mental health service utilization. Two-spirit participants reported differences in patterns of alcohol use and were more likely to have used illicit drugs other than marijuana. Discussion and recommendations for health promotion interventions and future research are presented in consideration of an "indigenist" health model and the multiple minority status of two-spirit people.

@article{Duran2004b,
title = {HIV/AIDS prevention in "Indian Country": Current practice, indigenist etiology models, and postcolonial approaches to change},
author = {B. Duran and K.L Walters},
url = {http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/15237050},
year = {2004},
date = {2004-06-01},
journal = {AIDS Education and Prevention},
volume = {16},
number = {3},
pages = {187-201},
abstract = {Many tribal and urban American Indians and Alaska Native communities have initiated HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment services. The richness, depth, and scope of these efforts, however, are not well known and have not been sufficiently documented in the academic literature. In this article we assess the strengths and weakness of the published literature using the constructs of the socioecological framework. We discuss the need to apply an "indigenist" etiology paradigm to HIV/AIDS risk and protection. Finally, we define and discuss the varied postcolonial approaches to HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment, and healing.},
keywords = {Duran B, Walters K. L.},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}

Many tribal and urban American Indians and Alaska Native communities have initiated HIV/AIDS prevention and treatment services. The richness, depth, and scope of these efforts, however, are not well known and have not been sufficiently documented in the academic literature. In this article we assess the strengths and weakness of the published literature using the constructs of the socioecological framework. We discuss the need to apply an "indigenist" etiology paradigm to HIV/AIDS risk and protection. Finally, we define and discuss the varied postcolonial approaches to HIV/AIDS prevention, treatment, and healing.

@article{Walters1999,
title = {Trauma, substance use, and HIV risk among urban American Indian women},
author = {K. L. Walters and J. M. Simoni},
url = {http://psycnet.apa.org/journals/cdp/5/3/236/},
year = {1999},
date = {1999-01-01},
journal = {Cultural Diversity and Ethnic Minority Psychology: Effects of HIV/AIDS among ethnic minority women, couples, families, and communities [Special Issue]},
volume = {5},
pages = {236-248},
abstract = {A survey of 68 American Indian women (aged 18–75 yrs) in New York City—aimed to inform community based HIV prevention approaches—revealed that respondents indicated generally high levels of HIV knowledge and self-efficacy for safer behavior and low levels of perceived risk. Few had ever injected drugs, and 54% had been tested for HIV. However, 38% had used alcohol or other drugs in the last 6 months, and among the 59% who reported sexual activity in this period, 80% had had unprotected sex. Alarmingly, 44% reported lifetime trauma, including domestic violence (25%) and physical (27%) or sexual (27%) assault by a family member or stranger. Consistent with a postcolonial theoretical framework, trauma was a better predictor of HIV risk behavior than social cognitive variables. Moreover, preliminary logistic regression analyses indicated the use of alcohol or other drugs may mediate the relationship between nonpartner sexual assault and sexual risk behaviors. Implications for future research and culturally relevant community-based interventions are considered. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved)},
keywords = {Walters K. L.},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}

A survey of 68 American Indian women (aged 18–75 yrs) in New York City—aimed to inform community based HIV prevention approaches—revealed that respondents indicated generally high levels of HIV knowledge and self-efficacy for safer behavior and low levels of perceived risk. Few had ever injected drugs, and 54% had been tested for HIV. However, 38% had used alcohol or other drugs in the last 6 months, and among the 59% who reported sexual activity in this period, 80% had had unprotected sex. Alarmingly, 44% reported lifetime trauma, including domestic violence (25%) and physical (27%) or sexual (27%) assault by a family member or stranger. Consistent with a postcolonial theoretical framework, trauma was a better predictor of HIV risk behavior than social cognitive variables. Moreover, preliminary logistic regression analyses indicated the use of alcohol or other drugs may mediate the relationship between nonpartner sexual assault and sexual risk behaviors. Implications for future research and culturally relevant community-based interventions are considered. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2013 APA, all rights reserved)

@article{Walters1997,
title = {Urban lesbian and gay American Indian identity: Implications for mental health social service delivery},
author = {Walters, K. L.},
url = {http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1300/J041v06n02_05#.UonKA2RhsVA},
year = {1997},
date = {1997-11-03},
journal = {Journal of Gay and Lesbian Social Services},
volume = {6},
number = {(2)Winter},
pages = {43-65},
abstract = {Research on American Indian identity has been, for the most part, poorly conceptualized and its findings contradictory. Indian identity has been shown to relate to positive mental health and cultural continuity and survival. However, the identity of gay and lesbian American Indians has not yet been addressed. Toward the formulation of a preliminary model of urban lesbian and gay American Indian (GAI) identity development, the author delineates acculturation levels, cultural values, and conflicts in allegiances that GAIs face in negotiating a positive identity. Implications for clinical practice, research, and mental health service delivery are outlined.},
keywords = {Walters K. L.},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}

Research on American Indian identity has been, for the most part, poorly conceptualized and its findings contradictory. Indian identity has been shown to relate to positive mental health and cultural continuity and survival. However, the identity of gay and lesbian American Indians has not yet been addressed. Toward the formulation of a preliminary model of urban lesbian and gay American Indian (GAI) identity development, the author delineates acculturation levels, cultural values, and conflicts in allegiances that GAIs face in negotiating a positive identity. Implications for clinical practice, research, and mental health service delivery are outlined.

@article{Dorfman1995,
title = {Old, sad and alone: The myth of the aging homosexual},
author = {Dorfman R. and Walters K. L. and Burke P. and Hardin L. and Karanik T. and Raphael J. and Silverstein E},
url = {http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1300/J083V24N01_04#.UnrYvfmko30},
year = {1995},
date = {1995-01-01},
journal = {Journal of Gerontological Social Work},
volume = {24},
number = {1/2},
pages = {29-44},
abstract = {This paper reports the findings of a survey of 108 elderly heterosexual and homosexual men and women in urban Central and Southern California. The purpose of the study was to test the assumption that elderly gay men and lesbians are more depressed and socially-isolated than their heterosexual cohort. The findings indicate that there are no significant differences between older heterosexuals and homosexuals in regard to depression and social support. However, the sources of social support from friends, while heterosexual elderly derive more support from family. The findings suggest a need to redefine the concept of family to include "friendship families." Future research which investigates the way in which these friendship families are created and maintained has the potential to benefit all elderly, especially those who have no biological families or whose biological families are unavailable for support.},
keywords = {Walters K. L.},
pubstate = {published},
tppubtype = {article}
}

This paper reports the findings of a survey of 108 elderly heterosexual and homosexual men and women in urban Central and Southern California. The purpose of the study was to test the assumption that elderly gay men and lesbians are more depressed and socially-isolated than their heterosexual cohort. The findings indicate that there are no significant differences between older heterosexuals and homosexuals in regard to depression and social support. However, the sources of social support from friends, while heterosexual elderly derive more support from family. The findings suggest a need to redefine the concept of family to include "friendship families." Future research which investigates the way in which these friendship families are created and maintained has the potential to benefit all elderly, especially those who have no biological families or whose biological families are unavailable for support.